Energy solutions for sports centres, leisure centres, and gyms in Sussex
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Instantly reduce energy costs for your sports and leisure centre with energy saving and renewable energy systems installed for no upfront cost.
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Why do leisure centres have such high energy costs?
UK sports and leisure centres have some of the highest energy costs of any business, with a combined annual cost of nearly £1 billion.
The need to maintain comfort for members means energy costs have a big impact on profitability, and things will get worse as gas prices continue to rise around the world.
Sports and leisure facilities are particularly exposed to high gas and electricity prices for the following reasons:
- Swimming pool heating
- Ventilation requirements
- Long operating hours
- Lighting demands
- Hot water demand
Add to this the increasing expectation for gyms and sports facilities to become more environmentally sustainable, and facilities managers have a real challenge on their hands.
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What are the most effective energy-saving measures to help leisure centres reduce energy bills?
Whilst sports and gym facilities present a complex challenge when it comes to designing a decarbonisation strategy, there are plenty of opportunities for facilities managers to implement measures that will drive down energy costs and carbon emissions for decades.
Solar PV for sports and leisure centres
Introducing on-site solar power through a Power Purchase Agreement is the quickest and easiest way for leisure facilities to save money on energy bills. The benefits of BHESCo-funded solar panels include:
Lower energy bills
Your leisure centre buys electricity from the solar panels at a cost that is significantly cheaper than the electricity provided by your energy supplier.
Long-term energy security
You are protected from the ups and downs of energy markets. The price you pay is fixed for the length of the contract (usually 25 years).
No upfront cost
By working with BHESCo, sports centres can install solar power for no upfront cost and with absolutely no risk.
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Bigger savings with battery storage solutions
Adding battery storage to a rooftop solar array at a sports and leisure centre significantly increases the value of the system by letting the site store and use more of the clean power it generates, rather than exporting it cheaply to the grid.
Maximise solar power consumption
Batteries store the midday solar surplus and release it when demand is high (evenings/ weekends), boosting the proportion of solar energy actually used on-site.
Grid flexibility and tariff optimisation
Batteries can charge from cheap off-peak or excess solar power and discharge during expensive peak-rate periods, improving overall savings under time-of-use tariffs. Batteries also allow for participation in demand response or flexibility schemes, creating an additional income stream alongside energy savings.
Better economics for a PPA/Solar Savings Plan structure
Higher self-consumption and reduced peak demand improve the overall savings case for a no-upfront-cost PPA, making the investment case stronger for both the site and community investors.
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Heat pump solutions for sports facilities
It can be challenging to know how to cut heating and hot water costs at your sports and leisure facility. The business must provide space heating in winter, cooling in summer, and water heating for swimming pools and showers.
Thankfully modern heat pumps can provide both heating and cooling options for a lower cost and lower carbon footprint than traditional alternatives
Air to air heat pumps
Air to air heat pumps provide low-carbon heating in winter and air-conditioning in summer. When combined with solar PV and battery storage they can provide a very cheap source of heating and cooling. Hot air/ cold air is delivered throughout the building by indoor fan units.
Learn more about air-to-air heat pumps.
Air to water heat pumps
Air to water heat pumps can be used to provide hot water to swimming pools and showers as well as providing heat to rooms through radiators or underfloor heating systems.
Learn more about air-to-water heat pumps.
Project Contact Form
The BHESCo Project Team is actively looking for partners from the sports and leisure sector who want to introduce energy saving and renewable energy systems at their sites.
Sports and leisure centres are perfect candidates for solar power, battery storage, and renewable heat because they have such high energy consumption all year round.
BHESCo can help to reduce long-term energy costs at your sports facility by introducing these systems at no upfront cost via a Power Purchase Agreement.
As a first step, we’ll review your site and look at your existing energy bills to understand what savings can be achieved. You then decide if you want to take the project further.
Leave your details below to start a conversation with a member of our team.
Why an energy assessment is an essential first step for upgrading your sports facility
Before investing in solar panels, heat pumps, LED lighting or other low-carbon technologies, it is essential to understand how your building uses energy today and where the greatest opportunities for improvement lie. Every leisure centre, gym and sports facility is different. Factors such as building age, operating hours, occupancy patterns, heating systems, ventilation requirements and roof suitability can all have a significant impact on the performance and financial viability of energy-saving measures.
Make informed investment decisions
A professional energy audit provides the evidence you need to make informed investment decisions. Through a detailed assessment of your building’s energy consumption and operational requirements, an energy audit identifies where energy is being wasted, highlights opportunities for cost savings, and establishes a baseline against which future improvements can be measured. For facilities with swimming pools, sports halls, fitness suites or changing rooms, this can reveal substantial opportunities to reduce energy demand while maintaining or improving comfort for staff and visitors.
Decide which technologies are best for your site
Building surveys and feasibility studies then help determine which technologies are most appropriate for your site. For example, a solar feasibility study will assess roof condition, orientation, shading and electricity consumption patterns to estimate potential energy generation and financial savings. Similarly, a heating and cooling assessment can evaluate whether heat pumps are suitable, identify any upgrades required to existing systems, and estimate future operating costs and carbon reductions.
Avoid costly mistakes
Taking a strategic approach helps organisations avoid costly mistakes. Installing technologies in the wrong order can limit their effectiveness and increase overall project costs. In many cases, improving energy efficiency first through measures such as LED lighting, building controls or insulation can reduce energy demand, allowing smaller and more cost-effective renewable energy systems to be installed later.
Clear next steps
For leisure operators and local authorities working towards net zero targets, an energy feasibility study provides a clear plan for action. This roadmap sets out a phased programme of improvements, prioritising projects based on their cost, carbon impact, operational benefits and available funding opportunities. It enables organisations to align investment decisions with long-term asset management plans, budget cycles and sustainability objectives.
Bringing it all together
A BHESCo Energy Report brings everything together, combining the observational data of an energy audit with the technical analysis of a feasibility study and long-term thinking of a decarbonisation strategy.
When equipped with the insights and data provided in a BHESCo Energy Report, sports facility managers can invest with confidence, maximise returns, reduce carbon emissions and create more resilient, future-ready buildings that are fit for the needs of their communities for decades to come.
How much does an energy survey cost?
If an energy survey is all you are looking for, we do charge a fee for our service. The cost of an energy survey depends on the size of the property. As a rule our services are generally costed at £70/ hour.
However, customers who decide to work with BHESCo to install their energy management improvements will not have to pay for their energy audit upfront – the cost will be absorbed into the Power Purchase/ Hire Purchase Agreement.
What is included in the Energy Saving Report?
Your Energy Saving Report includes details of all the ways you are wasting heat and energy in addition to our suggestions of how to address any issues with the most cost-effective solutions available.
Our suggested energy efficiency/ energy generation measures include details of typical upfront costs and anticipated payback time, as well as the expected financial and carbon reducing benefits.
What do I need to prepare before the survey?
It is preferable that our energy surveyors are able to view each room of the property including loft space, so some clearance may be required if necessary.
It is also beneficial to have access to any meters, boilers, or hot water controls. A copy of your most recent gas and electric bill is essential for helping us to understand your energy use and current costs.
Sports & Leisure Centre Case Studies
The Unity Centre,
Lewes
Year: 2019
Technology Installed:
22kW air source heat pump, LED lighting, 7 x smart thermostats, 7 x extractor fans, heat zone controls
Lifetime Financial Saving: £25,525
Lifetime CO2 Saving: 336 tonnes
Horsham Bowls Club,
Horsham
Year: 2018
Technology Installed:
762 LED lamps
2 x high efficiency boilers
Lifetime Financial Saving: £517,695
Lifetime CO2 Saving: 386 tonnes
Marina Dance Studio,
Brighton
Year: 2019
Technology Installed:
57 LED lamps
2 x aluminium panel heaters
Lifetime Financial Saving: £15,485
Lifetime CO2 Saving: 11 tonnes
Without BHESCo, none of this would have been possible”
Further options for reducing energy costs in your leisure centre
Alongside the high levels of energy consumption experienced by fitness centres comes an abundance of opportunities for potential improvement.
Energy management technology
We are big believers in the idea that ‘what’s measured can be managed’.
Integrating remote monitoring and controls will enable facilities managers to continually gather and analyse data about a building’s energy use, adjusting heat and lighting settings in reaction to the information available, and creating a business case for the adoption of new measures where necessary.
Collecting accurate data on electricity consumption patterns can enable facilities managers to identify periods of peak and low use, and to use these conclusions to set programmable power-timers to switch fitness machines on or off at pre-determined intervals.
Why gyms and leisure centres can save with LED lighting
Lighting can account for 20% of the total energy costs of sports facilities and gyms.
Replacing an existing lighting system with modern LED equivalents will deliver an instant reduction in electricity costs. LEDs provide 90% greater efficiency compared to flourescent tube lighting, and have a considerably longer lifespan, saving time and hassle on maintenance in the long-term.
LED lighting also offers a faster start-up and less glare, and can be easily connected to dimming controls and motion sensor timers.
In some parts of the building, such as hallways or changing booths there is no need for lights to be left on continually. Adding motion sensors to turn lights on automatically whenever an employee is in the vicinity will cut down on waste and can achieve savings of up to 30%.
Funding Your Energy Saving Measures
At BHESCo we understand that the upfront cost of installing energy saving measures for your business or organisation can be expensive.
That’s why we make our innovative financing available to all of our customers.
Through a Power Purchase Agreement or a Hire Purchase Agreement, there is no upfront cost to you, meaning you start to make savings immediately.
We cover the upfront project cost on your behalf which is then paid back over time using a portion of the savings achieved on your monthly energy bills. Once our loan is repaid you become the owner of your energy saving measures and will enjoy 100% of the savings for the lifetime of the equipment.
We will also help you access and grant funding that you may be eligible for, such as Rampion Funding, Sport England, etc
The importance of buy-in from staff
In order to gain maximum benefit from any physical energy efficiency improvements that are made to your sports centre, it’s vital that you have the support and co-operation of your staff and fitness instructors.
Educating staff on effective energy management and efficient behaviours will help to embed sustainability practice into your business. When staff have a good understanding of the financial and environmental benefits of the improvements, they will be better placed and more emotionally invested in supporting efforts to reduce energy consumption.
As well as reducing costs, encouraging staff to reduce energy consumption within yuor leisure centre demonstrates environmental responsibility and shows leadership within the wider community.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much do sports and leisure centres in Sussex typically spend on energy?
UK sports and leisure centres have some of the highest energy costs of any business sector, with a combined national annual spend of close to £1 billion. This is driven by swimming pool heating, ventilation, long operating hours, lighting, and constant hot water demand – costs that are exposed further whenever wholesale gas and electricity prices rise.
Can a leisure centre install solar panels with no upfront cost?
Yes. Through a BHESCo Power Purchase Agreement, we fund, install and maintain the solar panel system, and your leisure centre simply buys the electricity it generates at a fixed rate that’s cheaper than your current energy supplier’s price.
This means no capital outlay and no risk to your organisation.
What is a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and how does it work for a leisure facility?
A PPA is a financing model where BHESCo covers the full cost of installing solar panels, battery storage or other energy equipment, and your facility pays only for the energy it uses, typically at a fixed rate for the length of the contract (usually around 25 years). This protects leisure centres from volatile energy markets while removing the upfront investment barrier entirely.
Read more on Power Purchase Agreements
Is battery storage worth adding to a solar PV system at a leisure centre?
Adding battery storage significantly increases the value of a rooftop solar array by letting a leisure centre store midday solar surplus and use it during evening or weekend peak demand, rather than exporting it cheaply to the grid. Batteries also allow facilities to shift consumption to cheaper off-peak tariff periods and can create an additional income stream through demand-response and flexibility schemes.
What type of heat pump is best for a gym, sports hall or swimming pool?
The right heat pump depends on the application: air-to-air heat pumps deliver efficient winter heating and summer cooling through indoor fan units, ideal for gyms, studios and reception areas, while air-to-water heat pumps are better suited to heating swimming pools, showers and spaces with radiators or underfloor heating. Many facilities benefit from combining both, alongside solar PV, to cut heating and hot water costs year-round.
How much can LED lighting save a sports or fitness facility?
Lighting can account for up to 20% of total energy costs at sports facilities and gyms, and replacing existing fittings with LEDs typically delivers an instant reduction in electricity use, since LEDs are around 90% more efficient than fluorescent tube lighting. Adding motion sensors in low-traffic areas such as changing rooms and hallways can achieve further savings of up to 30%.
Why does BHESCo recommend an energy audit before investing in solar or heat pumps?
An energy audit establishes a clear baseline of how a building currently uses energy and identifies exactly where it’s being wasted, which is essential because every leisure centre differs in building age, operating hours, occupancy and roof suitability. This evidence-based approach prevents facilities from installing measures in the wrong order or investing in technology that isn’t right for their site, and often reveals that efficiency improvements should come before renewable energy investment.
What funding options are available for leisure centres wanting to reduce energy costs?
BHESCo offers Power Purchase Agreements and Hire Purchase Agreements that remove the need for any upfront capital: we cover the installation cost, which is repaid over time from a portion of the savings your facility achieves on its energy bills, after which you own the equipment outright and keep 100% of future savings.
What makes BHESCo different from a commercial solar or heat pump installer?
BHESCo is a community-owned, not-for-profit co-operative rather than a commercial installer, so recommendations aren’t shaped by sales commission and projects are backed by community investment rather than external finance companies. We’ve delivered 65+ community energy projects across Sussex, including sports and leisure sites such as The Unity Centre in Lewes and Horsham Bowls Club.
What are the benefits of heat pumps for sport and leisure centres?
Modern heat pumps offer leisure centres and gyms a highly efficient alternative to traditional gas boilers and conventional air conditioning systems. Rather than generating heat through combustion, heat pumps transfer heat from the outside air, allowing them to deliver three to five units of heating or cooling for every unit of electricity consumed. This can significantly reduce energy costs and carbon emissions while improving comfort for building users.
Unlike traditional systems, air-to-air heat pumps can provide both heating in winter and cooling in summer from a single piece of equipment, helping maintain comfortable temperatures in gyms, studios and reception areas year-round. Heat pumps also eliminate on-site fossil fuel combustion, improving local air quality and supporting net zero targets.
Because the UK Government has a target to install heat pumps as part of a nationwide drive to decarbonise heating, there are several government grant schemes to help you pay for the upfront cost of installing a heat pump, the most famous example being the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
When combined with rooftop solar PV, leisure centres can power a significant proportion of their heating and cooling demand with locally generated renewable electricity, further reducing operating costs and exposure to volatile energy prices.
It is also important to deliver different heat loads to separate areas of the building depending on their use. For example, cafe and reception areas will require a different temperature compared to a sports hall or changing rooms. Does your heating system employ modern technologies like individual heat zone controls, smart thermostats and data-driven heat demand management?
If this seems a bit overwhelming, then talk to a member of our team, and we can take the hassle and stress out of your renovation.